The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians to stop consuming a popular alcoholic drink called Japata Bitters.
The warning is coming after NAFDAC conducted a laboratory test which unveiled that it caused the death of mice within five minutes of record time.
NAFDAC disclosed that the alcoholic drink produced by Chigodson International Company Ltd was shut down by NAFDAC and the owner of the company is currently on the run as the matter has been shared with NDLEA.
“An alcoholic bitters product that is of grave concern is Japata Alcoholic bitters which was duly registered by NAFDAC but laced with marijuana or cannabis compared to the registered product that had only ethanol. Through intelligence, NAFDAC was able to shut down the company.
”The product laced with cannabis was said to cause altered state of mind and psychological problems to the user. The owner of the company is on the run and the matter has been shared with NDLEA.
“We shall continue with the raid on other illegal production outlet and the perpetrators will be dealt with in line with the extant laws and regulations.” NAFDAC said in a statement.
Aside Japata Alcoholic bitters, it also listed other herbal alcoholic drinks (‘Kurkura’ herbal preparation) which are laced with high concentrations of tobacco and sometimes cannabis, such as; Haonu Laha Herbal Mixture; Gamzaki Tradomedical Herbal Ventures; Barakallahu Multipurpose Herbal Mixture; Sabon Karfi Herbal Mixture; and Five Minutes Power Herbs Medicine.
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The agency further unveiled that; “Kurkura is an illicit product illegally consumed for the sole aim of getting intoxicated. The substance when abused can be harmful to the body organs such as the brain, kidney and liver. The damage to the Kidney and Liver cannot be overemphasized.
This substance can cause irrational thinking, altered state of mind, which if taken by a driver can lead to Road Traffic Accident with the attendant fatality consequences, or can lead to criminal behaviours such as rape, kidnapping and murder”.
